How To Design An Amazing Package for Your Clients

As an entrepreneur that doesn't want to be chained to my computer 40 hours a week, I'm always looking for ways to increase my income. I’d heard of packages and decided to create one. But first, I reached out to my business mentor for advice. She shared the three essential elements for creating a service package that sells…

A Good Package Is Easy to Describe

When you’re creating your first package, you may be tempted to throw every service you do into it. You figure this will give your clients great value but it can have the opposite effect and only create overwhelm.

You don’t want to promise to redesign a client’s website, move their mailing list, and update all of their copy at once. That’s too many moving parts. It’s hard to know when you’re making progress.

But a helpful package is easy to describe—to yourself and to others. It typically has one goal. This goal might be to help a client launch their video course or publish their book through Amazon Kindle.

If you have multiple goals for a package, it’s a sign that package needs to be broken down into more than one offer.

Try to focus on what you’d really like to help your clients do. What is that one service you can provide that would transform their business or their life? What would that service look like? How would it impact them? What would your clients rave about?

A Good Package Is Easy to Say Yes To

Make your package so irresistible that potential clients want to say, “YES!” as soon as they hear about it. This is about more than the task you’re being hired for. It’s about identifying the pain point that prompted a client to hire you.

A client may say they hired you to redesign their website. But what they really wanted was to get more customers from their website.

Another client may hire you to publish their Kindle book. But what they really desire is a bigger platform so they can be interviewed by TV journalists.

So, when it comes to your copywriting package, don’t just promise stellar work. Paint a picture of what it will feel like for the client when the work is done.

Share with your potential clients how you redesigned a website and the way traffic doubled the following month. Clients who want more website traffic will be eager to work with you.

Once you focus on what your potential client truly wants, it becomes easier to design your package. You’re not just selling your services; you’re selling the results that clients want.

A Good Package Is Exciting to YOU

It’s important to create packages your clients want. But it’s also essential that you make sure your packages will excite you, too.

If you hate doing logo design, then don’t create a package around it. You’ll not only resent the work, you’ll find yourself frustrated with your clients. Clients will sense that frustration and go elsewhere to have their needs met.

As you’re making your packages, ask yourself: What would excite me to work on every day? What types of project make me want to jump out of bed in the mornings?

Then look for a way to add more of what you love to your packages. If you’re skilled at web design, could you include a branding board for the finished website?

Little touches like these not only make your work more fascinating for you; they also impress your clients. When you feel good about the work you’re doing, your motivation skyrockets. You look forward to starting new projects and clients appreciate how easy you are to work with.

Consider the Value You Bring to the Table

If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around the idea of packages, you’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs who have worked traditional jobs struggle with this concept.

That’s because when you’re working for someone else, you’re forced to watch the clock. You must be present for a certain number of hours. This may mean being a cashier for 8 hours. Even if the store is completely empty, you’re still there.

Stop Filling Your Hours

If you’re not careful this mindset can transfer over to your business. You show up to your laptop or tablet each day, with the knowledge you’re going to be there for eight hours.

The problem is that creating a client’s website only takes you two hours. So you just fill the other six hours with busy work like checking the news, posting to social media, and hanging out on forums.

Then at the end of the day, you scramble to get the website published and send out an invoice. You may feel like you’ve worked all day but you really didn’t. You stretched a simple project into the time available.

Focus on Your Value

Instead of focusing on time, start looking at the value that you’re providing. It doesn’t matter if you made that value happen in two hours or twenty. If the project only needed four hours of your attention, then complete it in that time-frame and turn it in. Don’t wait by the clock just because you feel like you have to.

As an entrepreneur, you’re in control of your time. If you believe it’s valuable, your clients will pick up on that and have more confidence in you!

Your Skills + Experience = Value

Service providers can sometimes think in terms of what they can do, like writing a sales page or setting up the tools to seamlessly automate a client’s marketing.

But it’s not just about your skills. It’s also about the experience you carry with you and your ability to get the job done correctly. There are dozens of ways to do most tasks.

Your client can get overwhelmed wondering which path is the right one. With your experience, you can guide them to the action that will help them achieve their goals.

Imagine a client comes to you looking for web design services. There are plenty of ways to start a website but they’re stuck. They don’t know which option is going to serve their needs.

You listen to their request and ask probing questions. You get an idea for their vision and understand what features are essential to their website. Then you create a WordPress site for them.

You didn’t only make a website for them. You showed them which option is the best one based on their needs and that knowledge is worth a premium. You saved the client countless hours of frustration, streamlined their decision, and gave them valuable insights. That’s worth far more than just your hourly rate!

At first, it might feel intimidating to create a package with a large price tag. But keep in mind that your experience and expertise are priceless.

What Services Could You Create a Package Around?

I'm sure you all remember my friend the graphic designer. She loved what she did. She totally enjoyed creating images for her clients to use in their marketing and advertising campaigns. But she was beginning to max out the amount of time she could spend on her business,. There are only so many hours in a day. So she began looking into packages.

Maybe you’ve heard of packages—some service professionals create a package that allows them to sell their skills for more money. This lets them to continue to grow their income without spending all their time at the computer. If you like the sound of creating a package in your business, read on for tips to get started…

Think about the Service Requests You Get

If you’re a website designer, do you get requests to put together snazzy sales pages complete with beautiful graphics? If you’re a virtual assistant, are your clients always begging you to set up their mailing list in AWeber or ConvertKit?

Grab pen and paper quickly. Write down the top 5 tasks your clients ask you to handle. Would you like to turn one or more of these tasks into a package? What might that look like to you?

Focus on Your Favorites

As you begin looking for tasks that you could turn into packages, make notes of your favorite ones. You’ll want to build an offer around the services that you most enjoy so that you’re excited and eager to sell your new package.

Don’t try to design a package around tasks you hate doing. You’ll dread the work and have difficulty closing sales. Clients will be able to sense your unhappiness and be less likely to work with you.

Rate Your Services

Once you have a list of projects you love doing, try rating each one on a scale of 1-10. One is the type of task you hope to never do again. Ten is the task that makes you sit back and think, “How AMAZING is it that I get to wake up and do this every day?!”

If you haven’t been working long as a service provider or if you’re frustrated with your work, you may not have any projects that rank a 10 for you yet. You may discover that most of your projects rank just a 5.

This can be a wake-up call that you want to change up your offers or find clients that are a better fit for your business.

Get Feedback

You can also share your task evaluations with a fellow service provider or a business mentor. Let them take a peek and give their advice. Maybe another service provider will show you that your service is great fit but you’re not attracting the right clients.

Perhaps your business coach can point out projects that might be better suited to your strengths. Lean in and listen to the people that are rooting for you to succeed. Let them help you discover new paths that you may have overlooked.

Take your time and think through your package. You want to design it so that you’re only taking on projects that light you up and fill you with joy.

Ready to expand your business without expanding your hours? Join the Multiple Streams Of Income Challenge. Click here to join the group and get ready to see what you can add to your business without giving up more time.

My Thoughts On Becoming Confident In Your Business

Self-confidence is critical to success and happiness. And yet we all struggle with it in some way. You probably saw my 2013 post on the subject. If not, you should read it. Healthy Self Esteem = Healthy Business.

But I realized that it's been eight years since I wrote that piece. And in the era of the pandemic and all the ensuing turmoil, anger, and yes...even outright hate...our self-confidence may have plummeted. If you were one of the many who became unemployed or lost your business; if you're struggling to pay bills or provide for your family; your belief in yourself may be at an all-time low. Understandable.

So I wanted to share some thoughts on becoming confident again. Confident in your own abilities.  Confident in your dreams and plans. Confident in your future.

To be truly confident, you have to let go of what other people think of you. And you have to let go of how others treat you. 

Self-confidence is a state of mind. But it's a state of mind that you can manage. That doesn't mean you always have to explain yourself. You don't have always "stick up for yourself." When you are truly confident in your self, it just shows. You are who you are. It doesn't matter if your business failed this time. It doesn't matter if you are struggling to keep it going. It doesn't matter if you aren't where you thought you would be by now. And it definitely doesn't matter what anyone thinks or says about it. What does matter is that you are true to yourself and just keep moving forward as best you can. Stop wasting time on people who don't deserve it. You are YOU. And only the BEST people get to be around YOU!

Now is the time to figure out your next best move. Do you need to go back to work to get some income while you rebuild? So be it. There's nothing wrong with that.

Do you need to scale back a bit while you regain your footing? Okay. That's better than quitting.

Do you need to pivot to a different business model that's more feasible now? Not a problem. Adaptable businesses SURVIVE! 

So whenever you are feeling a little down...

Whenever someone you know is giving you grief over a failed or struggling business...

Whenever you...or they...think it's time to give up on the life you want for yourself and your family...

Stand tall, put your shoulders back, pick your head up, and say "So what? I am going to keep living my life and building my dream."

(By the way...that's a classic power pose. Roll your shoulders back to straighten your spine. Widen your stance a bit. Lift your head and your eyes. This slight shift instantly gives you an air of confidence. Not only will you look more confident to those around you. You will FEEL more confident. Isn't it great how body language works?!)

Hope you found this useful. Don't forget to get on my mailing list! I promise I will keep you pumped up, up-to-date on all the latest tips, tricks, and trends, and be your biggest cheerleader...after yourself, of course!

If You Are Still Trading Time For Money, You Are Limiting Your Growth

Trading hours for dollars limits your growth. It's not entirely your fault if you are. That's how most of us were raised. We had a job that required us to work a certain number of hours for which we were paid a set amount per hour worked. So it's natural that even when we started our own business, we were trading time for money.  

When I started my social media marketing business, I started by offering my services as a content creator. I wrote articles, short reports, and ebooks for my clients. I also created graphics and social media posts. As I grew my client list, I started bumping against a common problem for freelancers - a lack of time.

Offering services gave me space to grow as I started an online business that was truly my own...not network marketing or affiliate marketing. I learned about what my audience wants and how to deliver it. I had the chance to experiment with different projects and discover what my style is.

But as amazing as doing service work is, I still faced a serious limitation - my time. I could charge for the hours I work, but there are only so many hours in the day.

It’s true that you can learn to work faster. But if you're trading time for money, you’ll eventually hit that hard limit on what’s possible, just like I did. That means your potential and income will cap out - unless you change the way you offer your services.

Packages Are the Key to Getting Paid Better for Your Time

Packages work like this: you create an offer like designing 25 graphics, which may initially take you about 10 hours to do. Rather than charging an hour rate for 10 hours of your time, you put a price on the package and a client pays that – having no attachment to the amount of time you’ll put into it.

As your skill increases and you get to know your client’s needs better, you work faster and faster and still get paid like you worked for 10 hours. That’s the power of packages. But that’s not even the best part. Clients love packages too. They like having a clear price and task list to say “yes” to.

Packages Aren’t Really about Time or Money

As an entrepreneur, you don’t just have your skills to offer. You also have your experience and knowledge. When a client purchases your package, they’re paying for all that you bring to the table, not just your time.

Your knowledge is valuable. Your experience is priceless.

When you understand this, your eyes are opened to the incredible impact of your work. It makes it easier to charge more for your packaged services and gives you newfound confidence when speaking with potential clients.

Packages are Perfect for Everyone

The great thing about offering a package is that it can work in just about any industry and for any type of service professional. It doesn’t matter if you’re a copywriter, graphic designer, coach, or another kind of freelancer.

When I began offering packages, I was surprised at how quickly some of my clients said “yes”. I’d been worried that my clients would think my skills were less valuable if they were packaged but I found the opposite was true. I have never been more in demand!

Watch for Your Champions

The Dream Giver is one of my favorite books. It tells the story of Ordinary, who dares to leave the Land of Familiar and pursue his Big Dream. As he overcomes obstacles and challenges on his journey, he meets Champion. Champion is a character that also once chased a dream and now encourages others to do the same.

This story illustrates an important truth—every dream seeker needs to be surrounded by champions. Champions are dreamers who didn’t give up. They kept going even in the face of pressure and ridicule from others. Here’s how to build your own network of champions…

Look for Your Dream Team

Sometimes, we don’t see what’s right in front of us. Maybe you’ve had a dream to get healthy and lose weight for years now. Every month, a co-worker invites you to visit his gym as a guest. You’ve always said no because you were too busy listening to the voices who discouraged you.

Many times, life moves champions into our path right before we realize a dream. You have to look up and look around for these people. They’re usually the ones that are positive and upbeat. They’re challenging themselves and pursuing BIG goals. They’re not threatened when you go after what you want because they know that growing together is powerful.

Double Up

For every naysayer in your life, you need two champions to drown out the doubtful thoughts they plant in your mind. Sometimes, the champions will be people like you that have similar goals. Sometimes, they have drastically different goals but they still believe in and support you.

For those of us who are Christians, Jesus is the ultimate Champion. He is our Advocate and friend. He fights for us on days when we’re too weak to fight. He believes in us even when we feel lost and alone.

Make an Effort to Connect

As you’re looking for champions, make sure you’re willing to reciprocate. Just as you want people around you that you believe in you, you need to believe in others. Listen to their dreams, remind them that they can succeed, and motivate them on the hard days.

Care for your champions. This might be as simple as texting a friend to check-in, writing a “thinking of you” note to a champion who’s been feeling discouraged, sending a care package, or meeting up in real life (or virtually) to chat.

Humans were designed for connection. As The Dream Giver illustrates, we’re not meant to travel this journey alone. Take the time to surround yourself with champions and love on them whenever you get the chance!

Taking A Stand Creates an Invitation

I had always wanted to become a motivational speaker and author. Once my military service was over, I dreamed of writing a book about my experiences and touring the country as a speaker on women in the military. But then came a traumatic divorce, a sick child, and the dream was pushed to the back of my mind. I thought about a few topics that I felt passionate about and even jotted down proposals and book outlines. But life always "happened". Still I never gave up on my dream and promised myself that if the opportunity ever came, I would grab it and go.

Then I met Ken McArthur. He hosted marketing events. I had retired from the military and was working as an event planner. I was excited when Ken hired me to coordinate his events. I was even more excited when one day, after working with him for several years, he invited me to speak at one of his event. .

The seminar led to more speaking engagements...and more contacts. Eventually, it led to the publisher and editor who would help me bring my book to life. 

So now I am a speaker and an author. Maybe not exactly how I had first envisioned it. But perhaps as it was always meant to be. 

Most rewarding is knowing that I have inspired others. My daughter and her husband are working on plans for their consulting firm. My grandson is busily taking steps to create a clothing line. 

When you chase a dream, you're taking a stand for yourself and that’s powerful. It creates a beautiful invitation to others. In fact, your path might just inspire your border bullies before long. Here are a few tips for sharing your journey…

Explain What You’re Doing

When I first actually started writing my book, I discussed it with my husband every week. We'd talk about how much I had written, what I was struggling with, and  what I was doing to finish the book. 

I wanted to share my journey with my husband. I also liked the accountability that it provided. Although he would ask questions and worry about things like the cost for the editor, I didn’t let them hold me back. I realized his doubts weren’t about me—they were his own limiting beliefs. I wanted to inspire him to challenge them.

But I wouldn’t choose to share my story with someone that was toxic. I have a relative that’s negative no matter what I say or do. I didn’t share my journey with her.

Welcome Transparency

As you tell others what you’re doing, don’t be surprised if they’re inspired. I knew my grandson had been listening to me when he brought up his passion for art and design and his desire to create his own fashion line. 

When a friend or loved one starts talking about their goals or ambitions, don’t become the border bully! Offer to support them any way you can. For my grandson, I invited him to artists and designers I know and have offered to help him with his marketing..

Be Patient

I recommend letting people open up naturally. In the past year, I’ve learned that no two journeys are just alike. My daughter's path to her consulting firm and my grandson's path to being a designer look entirely different than my path to becoming an author and speaker. That doesn’t mean one is better than the other.

A person who’s just beginning to understand concepts like personal growth may not be ready to wade into deeper waters. They may not be able to commit to pursuing a BIG goal right away. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t support them. Remind your loved ones and friends that you believe in them and are rooting for their success.

How to Respond to the Border Bully

I started network marketing back when it was all about home meetings or "seminars" at hotels and restaurants. I frequently traveled for these in-person events. I loved meeting new people and connecting with friends when I traveled.

But my husband at the time was not always supportive. He comes from an older generation (yes, he was a BIT older than me). He had a much different upbringing. He didn't approve of a woman out alone at night. He thought it was dangerous.

Whenever I had an event to attend, he would pepper me with questions. “Who’s driving? Is your friend coming? Where will you be and when? Who will you meet up with?”

Responding to a border bully—even a well-meaning one—can be a challenge. You want to stay kind without losing your cool. Here are a few tips to help you out…

Look for the Nugget

I knew I could easily dismiss my husband's concerns. I could try to negate everything he was saying. But instead, I looked for the valuable nugget in his concern—that someone should know where and when I would arrive at my destination.

I recommend thanking border bullies for their input then answering their questions. “But only give enough information to be kind. I told my husband who I was meeting. I also gave him the phone number of a friend ot two who was atending with me as well as the contact information for the location the event was being held at. He was comforted but not overwhelmed by the details of people and places he did not know.

Ask for Support

Most border bullies just want to support you. They may show this by asking lots of questions (like my husband) or pointing out potential problems, and giving you unsolicited advice and suggestions. Don’t get upset or walk off in a huff when this happens.

Instead, you could patiently say, “Oh, thanks for letting me know about that issue. If you were in my shoes, how would you solve it?” By following up with a question, your loved ones feel like you value their opinion and they’re more likely to become your biggest cheerleaders.

It’s OK to Walk Away

Sometimes, a border bully can’t be supportive. No matter what you say or do, they can’t understand why you’re following your vision or chasing that dream. They may make cutting remarks or constantly make you question yourself.

If someone can’t respect your dream, it’s OK to walk away. This might mean limiting your time around that person, keeping your dreams to yourself, or avoiding contact for a while. This doesn’t mean that you don’t love the border bully; you’re just limiting the impact they can have on your goals. Border bullies are easier to deal with once you know what to say and do. Let them know that you hear their suggestions or concerns and thank them. They’ll feel appreciated and heard.

What Motivates the Border Bully?

Border bullies are the ones that want everything to stay the same. They don’t want you going after that big promotion, writing your book, or launching a brand new business. For every solution you come up with, they offer three obstacles.

Border bullies can make your life frustrating. But stopping them can sometimes be difficult. It can be helpful to identify the root cause that’s making your border bully act out. Here are three common reasons people respond to your dreams negatively…

True Concern for You

When I was stationed in Hawaii, my sister came to visit. She loved the islands. She found a job, met her future husband, and decided to stay instead of going home once her vacation was over.

After some discussion, we decided she would live with me and help with my daughters while my husband was deployed. Perfect plan. I had help with childcare. She had a place to live until she got established. But out mom was terribly upset and worried that something bad would happen. She kept coming up with “what if?” scenarios. What if I suddenly got transferred and my sister had no place to stay. What if my husband returned from deployment and decided he didn't want my sister staying there. It didn't matter what we explained to her. She had another possible reason why it might not work.

Like my mom, the border bullies in your life might be the ones who are closest to you. Because they love you, they’re more likely to resist change for fear it will negatively impact your life. They want to see you stagnate rather than be hurt.

Co-Dependency

My friend Laura battled alcoholism for years. On her thirtieth birthday, she decided to turn her life around. She started taking positive steps by attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, reaching out for support, and talking about her journey.

When Laura’s husband began to reactive negatively to her changes, Laura was bewildered. She spoke with a counselor and asked, “Why is someone who loves me trying to sabotage my sobriety?”

As Laura shared more about her relationship with her husband, the counselor suggested that he might be co-dependent. When she's drinking, he gets to step in and be the hero. He fixes the problems her substance abuse causes and without her alcoholism, there’s nothing for him to do.

Fear of the Unknown

When I retired from the Navy, I wanted to go back to school...in my forties. I'd always had a passion for science, but when I was first attending college, money was tight. Although the Navy had always been part of my plans for my future, the cost of college caused me to enlist rather than finish college and go after my commission

But now that I could afford to go, especially since my employer had a tuition assistance program, I was eager to start again.

Unfortunately, my husband wasn’t supportive. He pointed out that I would be taking time away from the girls again, which was one of the primary reasons we had retired when we did. He reminded me how old I would be when I finally graduated and how difficult it would be to get a job in my chosen field at that age.

My husband actually meant well. He was worried about the unknown and all the things that could go wrong. As an OTR trucker at the time, he knew he wouldn't be much help if something happened. He didn’t want to see me struggle to find employment or once again grapple with the overwhelm of home, work, the girls, and now college. 

It’s exhausting dealing with a border bully. But you don’t have to let yours throw your dreams off track. You can respond to a border bully in a way that’s both patient and kind.

Have You Ever Heard Of A Border Bully?

In the book, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson, the main character, Ordinary, discovers he has a dream and decides to pursue it. But the land Ordinary lives in is filled with people who prefer to stick to the status quo, so his dream chasing makes them uncomfortable.

As he is leaving his land to pursue his dream he runs into Border Bullies. These are people who love him and want to protect him, but perhaps their concern is more about protecting themselves. If you suspect you’re encountering Border Bullies in your own journey, here are three common signs to watch for…

Border Bullies Want You to Play Small

When you're chasing a dream, you're going to make other people uncomfortable. If no one in your family has ever owned a business, then trying to start one may cause your loved ones to worry about you.

They care and are well-intentioned but they keep pointing out all of the reasons you can’t do it. They might say the economy is bad, that you’ll never earn enough, or that your idea just won’t work.

Border Bullies Keep You from Growing

You’ve been trying to lose weight for ten years. Now, you’re beginning to see some success. You’ve shed a significant amount of weight and you’re starting to feel good about yourself. Your weight loss has given you confidence and energy.

But now you’re hearing concerns from family and friends. They downplay your accomplishment, make unsupportive remarks, or flat out tell you that you’re bound to gain all of that weight back.

What you have to understand is that border bullies aren’t just worried about you—they’re also worried about what your action says about THEM. If you bust out of the usual way of doing things, what does that say about everybody who stays where they are? Understand that your loved ones may feel judged or abandoned.

Border Bullies Fill You with Doubt

You spent years working hard to get out of debt. Once you had achieved that, you started saving up to spend a year living in Italy. You’ve been preparing for your trip for a few weeks. You’ve looked into courses on learning Italian. You bought a guide book so you’ll know which sights you want to see. You’ve applied for your passport.

But now here come the doubts. Your friends are always telling you why you can’t go to Italy for a year. Maybe they insist that you’re an adult and it’s time to act like one. Maybe they tell you that your goal is unrealistic or dangerous.

What you have to keep in mind is that stepping out of the ordinary will freak out the people around you. They’ll feel sad about the idea of you leaving or worry that you’ll forget about them. So they begin tossing roadblocks your way in the hopes that you’ll abandon your dreams.

It’s draining to deal with border bullies. Fortunately, there are a few solutions that can help put their minds at ease and give you the peace you need. In the meantime, you’ll want to grab a copy of The Dream Giver and read it to get a full picture of what it’s like to encounter border bullies.

How to Build Your Social Media Audience

You can have the coolest meme, the most amazing video, a blog post full of over-the-top value...and if no one is seeing it, it's irrelevant.

I've talked repeatedly about B-E-S...Build, Engage, Sell. And of those three, building your audience is most important. And there are plenty of people out there telling you how to do that...including me, of course! Here's my input:

If you aren't growing your audience every day so that you always have fresh, interested people to talk to, you're wasting your time. It's the only way to ensure you never run out of people to talk to.

Where to Build Your Audience

Where do you want to build it? Again, everyone has their preference of social media platforms. I say go where you are comfortable, enjoy interacting, and where your target market also hangs out. 

The most popular, according to marketers, are:

1. Facebook
2. Email (yes, email is considered social media)
3. Instagram
4. Twitter
5. YouTube
6. LinkedIn
7. TikTok

This list is always subject to change. TikTok is surging in popularity right now, and marketers are discovering how to use it effectively. Again, determine where your target market is, then choose the one or two of those that you enjoy using and focus your efforts there.

Why Are You On Social Media?

I assume it's to build your business. But you need to be specific. Have you heard of SMART goals? Of course you have! And they apply on your social media account as much as anywhere else. And they can differ from platform to platform. For example, my goal on Twitter is to make sales and generate leads. Twitter is great for that. My goal on Facebook is to meet people, build a relationship, and use that relationship to move them to my Facebook group or email list. I don't expect to make sales on FB. I have, but it's not my primary goal.

Before you do anything else, take some time to determine your goal for each platform you where you decide to be active. And make them SMART goals: Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant. Time-Bound. 

Having defined goals will make it easier to create a social media strategy. Knowing what, where, and when to post will make you more productive and effective. 

Who Are You Talking To?

Identify your target market. If you are marketing to everybody, you are marketing to no one. Contrary to what you may have been told elsewhere, EVERYONE is NOT your customer. 

Look at your current customers. Look at who is interacting with your social media content. Are there commonalities? Other people like them would more than likely be interested in your product, services, and content as well. 

Analyze your product or service. What are the benefits? What problem does it solve? Who would be most likely to have a need for your offer? 

Once you know who would most benefit from your offer, figure out who is most likely to buy it. Look at things like age, location, gender, income level, occupation, etc. You can also consider values, interests, hobbies, etc.

You can have more than one market! You will just tailor your marketing accordingly for each niche.

The Key Word in "Social Media" is "Social"

Create relationships. I'd rather have 1000 loyal, raving fans than 5000 people who never engage with my content and don't really know what I do. 

It's not that hard to get to know people on social media. Reach out to them via messenger and have a real conversation. Don't just pitch your offer. Would you greet someone you just met at a party with, "Hey I know we just met, but buy my stuff!"? Why do it on social media?

Reply to comments on your posts. Comment on other people's posts. Don't just "like" them. Start a conversation. Answer questions. 

Ask questions - real questions to spark a conversation. Not the engagement bait questions. Unless I'm in the wine business, I really don't care if you prefer red or white. Neither does anyone else. Sure you'll get engagement. But the people who respond are most likely not your target market. 

Get personal. Share photos...of your office, your pets, your team, anything that will help people relate and connect with you. And don't be afraid to get silly! Humor is a great way to connect with others.

Provide Value

Remember the 80/20 rule. Only 20% of your posts should be promotional. People come to social media to connect with others and be entertained. No one got up today and said, "I need a new skin care product. I think I'll see what's on Facebook!" No one...I promise!

Offer tips and tricks related to your niche. Share other expert's content. Post industry trends or breaking news. Answer questions. Give away what you know freely, and it will come back to you. Or as my friend, Manny Lopez, says, "Give away the map. Charge to be the guide."

Let's Get Visual

Instagram. TikTok. YouTube. These are three of the most popular social media platforms right now. Visual content is where it's at. Photos and video content are absolutely killing it. Make sure you are adding it to your content mix.

The good news is it's not difficult to create great visual content. Most smartphones do a fine job of recording video. Or use platforms like Zoom to record your content. Do a Facebook Live. And there literally tons of photo editing and graphics apps to create images. I use Canva and Photofunia the most. But there are plenty of others. Find the one that works for you and get creative!

Announce Your Presence

Do you have a website? Make sure it contains links to your social media sites.

Do you have an email list? Include links to your social media in your email signature.

Cross promote. Just because I'm on Twitter doesn't mean I can't let my Twitter peeps know I'm also on Facebook. 

Put your social media links on your promotional and marketing material. 

Place your primary platform on your business card. 

Wherever and whenever you can, share your social media links.

Consistency is Key

An inactive social media account looks bad if you're an entrepreneur. Plus savvy social media users will "unfriend" you fast if you let your account go inactive. It limits our reach!

If creating fresh content is difficult for you day after day, check out the tips in my posts 10 Sources for Content Creation Ideas and The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Battle Plan.

Social media marketing should be quick, easy, and fun. If it's not, you're doing it wrong.

There is no secret program or magic trick to build your social media audience.

But there are tactics and strategies you can use that will help you build a presence that attracts people to you. And that is what attraction marketing is all about. Following the ideas posted here will put you way ahead of the the game.

I want to hear from you, too. Any tips or tactics that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!

 

10 Sources for Content Creation Ideas

Content creation seems challenging at times. How do you come up with ideas for content on a regular basis?

You don’t have to spend hours each day trying to come up with content ideas. There are plenty of free and premium tools that can inspire you and showcase what your audience really wants from you. Here are a few you can use:

Keyword Tool.io

Keyword Tool.io is one of the most comprehensive keyword tools available. That’s because this unique website pulls keywords from several popular content sites including Google, YouTube, Bing, Amazon, eBay, and App Store.

With so many different search options, you’ll be able to rank well in Google and YouTube. One of the reasons it’s so effective is because this tool pulls keywords from real Google autocomplete searches.

Answer the Public

Another alternative that you may want to consider when looking for keywords is Answer the Public. You can use the site to see what questions users search for answers to. For example, you can type a topic like ‘puppy training’ into the search box.

Answer the Public will then display a list of questions that those seeking this information often ask. Seeing these questions can inspire you to create new content since you know what information is really important to your community.

Buzz Sumo

Buzz Sumo is another keyword tool you can use for your research. But it has more than one feature that makes it an excellent choice for marketers and small businesses. The most exciting option is that you can enter a keyword and see which links have been ‘most shared’ in your niche.

For example, if you type ‘puppy training’, you’ll see a new story about puppies that’s been shared over 173K times on Facebook. You can use this feature to help you create content that’s more likely to go viral.

Moz Keyword Explorer

You may also want to consider Moz Keyword Explorer when you’re looking for fresh content ideas. You can use this keyword tool to look at the search engine results page (SERP) rankings of the sites that rank on page 1 of Google. This can provide you with insight into which websites will be your biggest competitors.

Google Trends

It’s not enough to simply know a keyword is popular. You also want to know when during the year it’s most popular. This is important because it helps you plan your content in advance so you can get the most traction possible. That’s why you want to use Google Trends when you create your content strategy.

For example, you may know wedding preparations is a popular keyword in May, right before all the June weddings. But what you may not know is it’s also a very popular keyword in late November due to couples planning their spring nuptials.

Semrush

Semrush is one of the most popular keyword tools available today. That’s because the data it provides is comprehensive. You can see which keywords are popular by country, view organic search keywords, and study the CPC of paid traffic. You can also see related keywords. This can show you which terms you’ll want to use in your content. For example, you might find that puppy training isn’t as popular a keyword as you thought. You might discover that most of your community uses the term dog training instead. This insight is valuable because it helps you discern what your community is really looking for.

Let Your Community Inspire You

Even the best content creator can sometimes feel like their creativity is blocked. It might be that you don’t know how to start your next blog post or what to write in the upcoming chapter of your eBook or you may simply wonder what you should discuss in your next podcast episode.

The good news is there are lots of ways to get your community to help you. Not only is this a great way to drive engagement, it also gives you the chance to be inspired by your fans. Here’s how to reach out:

Create a Poll

Sometimes, content creation can be slowed because you have too many choices. For example, you run a cooking blog and you’re about to launch your latest series. You’re not sure if your community would prefer a new batch of dessert recipes or brunch ideas.

You don’t have to make this decision yourself. You can create a poll and ask your followers to share their thoughts. You can use a WordPress plugin to add a poll to your website or you can use the poll feature on a social network like Twitter.

Broadcast Your Questions

Twitter isn’t the only social network you can use to gather insights from your fans. You can also use Facebook’s livestream feature to create your very own broadcast. While you live stream, Facebook goes to work, notifying your followers that you’re live.

Take advantage of this perk and ask your viewers questions while listening for their responses. But don’t make your question vague like, “What should I write about?” Instead, ask questions that encourage conversation such as, “What was the last news story that made your blood boil?” or “Who always encourages you when you’re having a difficult day?”

These questions can prompt you to come up with fresh content ideas. If you do end up creating content from these conversations, be sure to thank your watchers for their insights and ideas in the finished product.

Send Out Surveys

You may also want to try sending out surveys to your audience. You don’t have to create anything complex. You can even use a simple website like Survey Monkey or Alchemer.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to get responses when you create a survey. One way to get around this problem is to offer a small, valuable prize in exchange for participation. For example, one brand gave away $5 Amazon gift cards to participants who completed their survey. One marketer offered participants a coupon code to get her latest book for free.

Encourage User-Generated Content

When you’re really stuck on what to post, consider letting your fans help you. One lipstick company encourages their buyers to post to social media using a branded hashtag. Then the content manager selected the best pictures and created a blog post titled, 15 Lipstick Tips to Make Your Lips Look Fab. Inside the post, Instagram photos from users were embedded.

Before the post went live, the content manager reached out to each participant and had them sign waivers. Then to show their gratitude, each Instagrammer received a special t-shirt in the mail. It was a simple way to thank fans for the user-generated content. You can use a similar tactic in your own business. Invite your followers to post content to your brand hashtag. Then let their responses inspire you to create even more amazing content.

The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Battle Plan

Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay. And if you're in business, you had better learn how to use it effectively and efficiently for your marketing. 

But how do you do that? There are so many platforms. Which one should you use? What should you post? How often? It's enough to drive you crazy. Or at least spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on some social media marketing "guru" who has all the answers.

Well, I'm here to tell you that there is no one perfect answer. Which platform should you use? The one you enjoy using. The one your target market interacts with you one. What should you post? Things that inform, entertain, and engage your followers. How often? Often enough to be visible. Not so often that your posts are competing with each other. 

So in other words...Do what works for you.

Do I have some recommendations? Of course I do! Read through my suggestions. Take what feels right for your business. Ignore the rest. Because in the end, social media should be FUN! If you find yourself dreading the time you spend there, you are doing it wrong!

The Plan

I could write a book on how to successfully use social media to market your business. But I'm busy writing a different one so you'll have to be content with this post! Which means I'm going to assume you understand the basics of social media marketing: what it is, why we use it, what terms like engagement and algorithm mean. I'm going to focus on those questions we all have. Which platforms should I use? How should I use them? And how can I do this efficiently and effectively so I'm not wasting hours every day post online?

Step 1: Determine which platforms you are going to use. Again, don't pick platforms you don't enjoy using. TikTok is hot right now and many of my fellow marketers are using it. I'm not. I don't enjoy doing videos. I found a lot of toxic people on TikTok. I really don't understand how to use it effectively. And so I'm not there. For me, it would be a waste of time better spent elsewhere.

The platforms I recommend for your social media marketing:

1. Twitter

2. Pinterest

3. LinkedIn

4. Instagram

What? No Facebook? 

Facebook is an important platform. It's the juggernaut in the social media world. And you should have a presence there. But they have made it very difficult to actually market there. Use it to build relationships and make connections. Host a Facebook group. Interact with friends and followers. But I think you'll find your business will be just fine if you focus your hardcore marketing on other platforms. 

Along with the four platforms listed, you will want to build an email list. Yes, email is a form of social media. And a list is a critical part of your success. People who opt-in to your list have indicated they are interested in what you are offering. They were willing to give you there contact information to get it. That's a solid LEAD. And if Facebook, Twitter or any of the others close down tomorrow, you still have all the contact information of your list subscribers. So business goes on uninterrupted for you, while everyone else is trying to figure out how to connect with their market again.

The last thing you may want is a blog. This one isn't as vital as an email list. But I think it's worth pursuing. It's the only other thing online, besides your list, that is totally yours. If all my social media platforms were to go away, I would simply share information on my blog and then use my list to drive traffic there. 

Twitter

Why Twitter? I can hear you already. It's full of trolls and bots. It's toxic. You can only post short little blurbs (280 characters). Yes, all of those things are true...if you let them become true. I have been on Twitter since 2009 and never once have I had to deal with trolls and haters. I simply don't allow them in my Twitter feed. And I have learned how to recognize bots. And 280 character limits have taught me to make my message CONCISE!

Why Twitter? Because your competitors are there if they are serious about their business. Because millions of people use it every single day. It's one of the busiest social networks. Because your community will become brand ambassadors, retweeting and sharing your content. And because Twitter let's you post links! Unlike FB, Twitter has no prohibition against posting links to your offers. Which makes it ideal for driving traffic wherever you want.

Twitter is easy to use. Keep your Twitter handle simple. Don't use numbers or other characters to make it unique. @MaryJo47225508 does not look professional and certainly does not inspire confidence in her business. 

You are limited to 280 characters per tweet. But you can tweet images and video. Use them!

And don't forget, you can link back to your content. If you can't say it in 280 characters, turn it into a blog post and then post the link!

You can check out some other tips for using Twitter on my blog post Twitter Tips. Or join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group for a 5-Day Twitter Challenge.

Pinterest

I love Pinterest. As we become an increasingly visual society, what better way to market than with images. But what makes Pinterest special is that each image is a clickable link. Think of it like a giant storefront or shopping mall and every image is like a window into your business. 

Like Twitter, Pinterest allows the posting of link so it's a great way to drive traffic to your website, blog, sales page, or lead magnet. And while posts on Facebook and Twitter have a very short life span, the average life span of a post on Twitter is 3 months. I have posts that are 2 years old still generating leads and traffic. 

The key to success on Pinterest is creating the right boards and then posting relevant content. Again, don't forget the video! Very few people are using video on Pinterest yet so this will really make you stand out. 

For Pinterest Tips, visit my post Best Practices for Pinterest.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become the largest professional network in the world. This is not a social platform. What works on Twitter and Facebook won't work here. LinkedIn users are professional networkers. Does that mean they are not a market for your opportunity? Absolutely not! LinkedIn is an untapped social media GOLD MINE!

I freely admit I have not been active on LinkedIn for many years. When I started social media, LinkedIn was still in it's infancy and no one really understood its potential. I have recently revisited LinkedIn however. And I am convinced it will be one of the top social networks for business, if it isn't already. 

I am still in the process of learning how to use it well. So no...I don't have any great insights to offer. But as I learn, I share with my folks. So if you want to keep up with all my findings, subscribe to my email list. That way you'll be sure not to miss out on anything.

Instagram

Instagram is one of the HOTTEST social media networks. ALL the major influencers have an Instagram profile. You know who I'm talking about. *wink*

While I am not as active there as Twitter and Pinterest, I do post there. It is a great platform for those who are more visually oriented. And just because it is not my main platform doesn't mean I haven't learned a few things. Check out my post Instagram Tips for ideas on how to show off your brand on Instagram.

Email Marketing

I know you have all heard it.  Email Marketing is dead. Let me ask you a question. How many emails did you get today? If it was dead, do you think all those business would be wasting time on it? Not only is it not dead, it's a vital piece of your overall social media strategy. 

I have already explained the benefits of email marketing. People who have opted in to your list have basically given you permission to market to them. They have provided you with their email address with the understanding that you will be sending them stuff periodically. That list of names and email addresses (and sometimes even phone numbers) is yours. No one can take that away from you. Twitter may go. Facebook may make it all but impossible to do business without paying. But that list is yours. 

I am not going to go into a class on email marketing here. Again, that's an entire book in itself. I will tell you that you will need an autoresponder to get started. There are plenty to choose from. MailChimp. ConvertKit. I use AWeber. Quite simply, I think they are the best. I have been using them since I first started building my list waaayyy back in the the day. 😉  You can check them out for free.

If you want some additional guidance on how to build and leverage your list, I recommend the Simple List Leverage 5-Day Challenge. For $1 you will get 5 days of training from the fabulous Diane Hochman, the undisputed QUEEN of email marketing. Plus you'll receive a 30 day free trial of the marketing and training system I use everyday to build my business.

Blogging

I hope you have decided to add blogging to your social media mix. Yes, blogging is a form of social media! If you truly love to communicate and share with your tribe, you will love having a blog as a place to do that.

Starting a blog is easy. There are plenty of platforms to use. When I started 14 years ago (yes, I've really been at this that long), there were only two. Blogger and WordPress. WordPress was a bit more than this tech-challenged gal could handle. So I opted for Blogger. And I've been here ever since.

Like your email list, your blog is yours. No one can take it away from you. It's your way to speak your message to anyone and everyone. And it's a great marketing tool. Don't believe me? Just ask Ray Higdon!

As a blogger, of course I have written about blogging. Check out these posts for some information to help you get started:

Starting To Blog

Why Blog?

It's Time To Talk About Writing Blog Posts

Tools Are Great But Who Has The Time For All This?

Now that you have an idea of what tools you need in your social media marketing arsenal...

Twitter

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Instagram

Aweber

Blogger

It's time to get to work. Ready to be overwhelmed? Don't worry. You can do all of this in a few hours a week. The key is automation and repurposing content.  

First let's talk about automation. Many platforms don't like the use of schedulers. They are too easily co-opted by bots. But if you do it correctly, you can use them to help decrease the time you actually spend online posting. There are three that I have used and recommend.

SocialOomph: When I first started seriously using social media, I used SocialOomph. Basically, because it was free. But that didn't mean it was useful. It served my purposes quite nicely. Since then, it has developed and changed to keep pace with the changing world of social media.

HootSuite: From SocialOomph I moved to HootSuite. Why? Because I was told all the professional marketers used HootSuite! As good a reason as any, right? But they were a bit expensive for my budget back then, and I didn't just didn't see the need for my two little social media accounts. But if you have 10 or more accounts or work with a team, HootSuite may be for you.

Social Jukebox: Today I use Social Jukebox. It's easy, affordable, and does everything I need. And I love that I don't have to continually reschedule my posts. I basically set it up once a month (YES! I schedule a month's worth of posts at a time! How cool is that?) and then forget it. If I need to add or delete something during that time, it's a snap to go in and edit my "jukebox".  In my opinion, it's the best tool available to help you save time on social media.

Repurposing Content

One of the easiest ways to save time with your social media is to repurpose your content. What does that mean exactly? It means using one piece of content in multiple ways.

Write a blog post. Break that down into shorter social media posts. Turn the contents of your blog post into a video. Take quotes from the blog post and make quotes posts. Write your list about the content of your blog and include a link to the post. If you are a podcaster, interview some experts on the topic of your blog post or do your own show. Record an audio only of your video to download. 

The hardest part of creating content is coming up with new ideas. But if you take one good idea and repurpose it, you can create content from it for days!

It works they other way as well. As an example, I saw an image that was talking about Jibber Jabber. For some reason, it just struck a chord with me. I turned that image into a blog post about Jibber Jabber versus stories that speak with passion. And then of course, the blog became a video, which became and audio file, which became....etc, etc,  etc.

Between automating as much as you can without losing that personal touch and repurposing your content, managing your social media marketing will be a 2 - 4 hour/week walk in the park.

But Wait, There's More!

Of course there's more to learn than this. What to post. When to post. How to interact with your followers. So much more than I could ever cover in one blog post. This gave you the basics. It's a starting place for your battle plan. Now it's up to you to "sharpen the axe". You can do that here by reading this blog.

You can join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group.

You can subscribe to my email list. 

You can do all of the above!

Because I will be here, using all the social media tactics at my disposal to share my message with anyone who wants it.

You CAN do this! I will show you how!